JOURNAL OF ARCHITCTURE, PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Volume 6 Issue 1, 2016

INTERIOR DESIGN AND

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
MANAGEMENT: PERFORMANCE
AND PRODUCTIVITY IN
MALAYSIAN BUILDING
INDUSTRY
Ismail Jasmani

International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

ABSTRACT
The practice of Interior Design (ID), Architecture, Mechanical & Electrical and
Facilities component drawings such as conceptual design and construction
drawings would need to be integrated and coordinated between the consultants
and the contractor drawings. All related drawings are required to be resolved
and agreed upon, so as not to cause obstacles at the actual construction site and
to improve the business performance in terms of time and cost of the project. A
further review of the performance measured in the interior design construction
industry also indicates that productivity is an inadequate measure for
identifying improvement targets and control activities. The use of a more
holistic set of measures is recommended in order to ensure more relevant and
timely information. The purpose of this study is to explore the integration and
coordination of the respective consultants’ involvement in the project
construction management that will help clients on timing and costing of the
projects. The lack of coordination between multidisciplinary scope of work
within project construction managements in interior, architecture, and other
related fields will increase time and cost of the ID Construction projects (IIDA
Report, 1998).

Keywords: interior design, multidisciplinary, coordinated and construction

management

INTRODUCTION
Construction management is the act of planning, organizing and
overseeing the various tasks involved in a construction project. It
is performed by individuals known as project managers, who
represent the builder or contractor hired to perform the work.
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Ismail Jasmani

Construction management is a complex task that changes

drastically from one project to another. Employees working in
this field will find that the requirements and processes of
management will constantly shift depending on the specifics of
the project. Most construction projects begin with some level of
conception, design and implementation. Whether the project is a
new fence in your back yard, renovations or the erection of a
multi-million dollar shopping mall, construction management will
be necessary. The initial idea, concept or theory for a project can
come from scientists, research laboratories or engineers. The
concept typically goes through a design phase where drawings,
flowcharts and cost calculations are generated. Finally, the
coordination and management of the various and numerous
disciplines involved in building and implementing the project are
done through Construction Management.
Interior Design as a profession has gained prominence in
the construction industry in Malaysia. The complexity and the
nature of buildings being constructed in this region has forced
design consultants and construction companies looking into
Interior Design works as a specialised consultancy. The small
number of Interior Design Professionals in the industry has led to
dependence on architectural and engineering consultants taking
over this crucial role in executing interior projects. This created a
renewed demand for locally-trained Interior Design Professionals.
Construction Project Management is a core area being given
renewed importance by design consultancies and the construction
industry in a deadline-oriented market. Though engineers have
had a traditional forte in the area of Construction Project
Management; Architects and Interior designers have slowly made
inroads into this area in the past few decades. Interior Designers
specialising as construction project managers are in demand all
over the world. The education sector has responded to this
demand through programs in design education that focuses in
Construction Project Management. The paper looks into the
relevance of Construction Project Management in the Interior
Design and construction industry in Malaysia and how these
practices will save time and cost to the client specifically.
LITERATURE REVIEW
In this study, the Project Management and Construction Process
consists of planning and execution, so the planning processes
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Volume 6 Issue 1, 2016

performed to establish the total scope of the effort which is to

develop objectives of the Interior Design Management and
Constructions, and develop the course of action required to attain
those objectives. The planning processes of the project
management and construction plan of the project documents will
be used to carry out the construction project.

i. Project Planning Stage.

The scope of work sets the parameters and constructability review
for the construction project and identifies the work to be done, the
scope describes the building layout, site of work, site work,
number of rooms, number of floors, types of materials,
dimensions, special equipment, storage requirements and other as
specified by respective consultants (Jackson, 2010). Contract
Review is to ensure that the company understands customers'
needs and has the capacity and capability to meet those needs (Li,
2000). The researcher noticed the most problems in Malaysian
construction project associated with a project contract were not
specifying on the coordination works between the contract parties.
Therefore, the Project Manager (PM) is having extra works which
is to read all the consultant drawings for reviewing and further
construction works.
In general for efficient work performance, the process of
sequencing which have identified all the activities that need to be
performed on construction project can be done by engineering
program (Jackson, 2010). Schedule development is the process of
analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements,
and schedule constraints to create the project schedule (Conchu´ir,
2010). Scheduling helps manager and it seems to him like a
compass. The budget estimation is important of forecasting and
redirecting cost and expenditures of a project. In these stages the
PM is more concerned on the time and cost on the project that he
handled e.g. to ensure time and cost to the client benefit.

ii. Project Execution Stage

In this stage, PM aspects should control the whole construction

project. A Material management is a scientific technique,
concerned with Planning, Organizing & Control of flow of the

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works from their initial design to the construction stage. It has

some benefits to ensure right coordination drawings for
construction. Every aspects of construction project performance
must be monitored, tracked, and recorded to ensure that the
project plays out according to planning stage, and has a
reasonable chance of meeting the project goals for time, cost, and
quality. Tracking the deviations will help to identify problem
areas to choose the correct or prevent actions (Lock, 2004). The
on-site management of a construction project involves great
amounts of paperwork, even for relatively small projects, the
documentation must be done to ensure communicate directions,
questions, answers, approvals, general information and other
material to appropriate members of the project team (Bennett,
2003) The point of view of the change must be controlled by
change order which is contains a brief explanation of the nature of
the change and whether it is initiated by the contractor or the
owner and its relation with scope of project (Levy, 2010). It is
important the process of quality control primarily deal with issues
relating to the requirement conforming to the plans and specs by
using quality tools to insure consistency in quality (Jackson,
2010).

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Consultants Drawings Drawing For

Construction

Civil and C&S: Logistic, Building Orientation, Road

Coordinated Drawing
Structure Foundation and Building Structure
Status ‘A’
Architecture Building Layout plan, space planning and (Phase 1)
reflected ceiling

Mechanical Plumbing, Air-Condition layout and

Schematic design
Electrical Electrical, lighting layout and Schematic
Coordinated Drawing
design Status ‘A’
Interior design ID Space Planning, Floor Finishes,
Reflected Ceiling, Special lighting, built in (Phase 2)
cabinet, Loose Furniture, Furnishing &
Equipment arrangement
Others specialist: Specialist drawing: CCTV, Signage, Audio
Visual,
Figure 1: Basic drawing from Consultants involvement in Class a Project:
Malaysia Construction Industry

The coordination of the drawings as Figure 1 is shown that from

all consultants need to be coordinated and getting status ‘A’ e.g.
for construction, so that, the contractor would construct the
building which follow the program schedule as agreed. From this
research the time and cost of the building would be benefited to
the client during handing over the building on time.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND PROJECT

DEVELOPMENT’S SUCCESS
In an industrial setting, the larger the project, the more important
it is to involve construction management early in the process.
After the initial concept has been developed and designed,
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Ismail Jasmani

Interior Designer, architects, engineers and other consultants

usually define the scope of work, which is reviewed by the
construction manager and his team. They then outline a course of
action and begin construction.
Management is simply defined as “planning, directing,
controlling and co-ordinating of individual, group or
organizational goal and objectives with the ultimate aim of
achieving maximum benefit”. In the view of Baridam (2002)
management literally means getting things done through and with
people, which has to do with the planning and directing of effort
towards a common objective. The traditional functions of a
manager reflect the activities involved in managing, planning,
decision-making, organizing, staffing, leading, motivating and
controlling.

Figure 2: Interior design (ID) position in Construction Industry

These functions constitute a circle of action in which each

component leads to the next. Since building development project
execution involves a consortium of various professionals;
Architect, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Interior Designer,
Project Planners etc, it will be disastrous if there is no one to co-
ordinate their interest and roles as major stakeholders, together
with other non-professionals and the client. The right man to do

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Volume 6 Issue 1, 2016

the job is the project manager. Project Management involves the

proper activities of all these professionals and non-professionals
such as co-ordination, programming, budgeting and monitoring
their activities during the development process. The sequential
steps in project management include:
 Objectives of the project.
 Task required to completing it.
 Duration of projects.
 Cost target of the projects
 Plan the most efficient organization of tasks.
 Re-evaluate tasks relationships and schedules and finally
carry out the project.

The above success criteria as of Figure 2, exercises call for

successful project implementation by the utilization of proven
management techniques of planning, organizing, directing and
control. The owner may engage a Project Manager (PM) to
provide professional construction management services and to
provide advice to the owner including cost, schedule, safety, the
construction process and other considerations as well as to ensure
the requirements of the construction contract are met (Bennet,
2003). Therefore Contract Review is to ensure that the company
understands customers' needs and has the capacity and capability
to meet those needs (Li, 2000). Logistic planning is also used
from a material flow perspective depending on critical activities
that constrain the material handling, storing method, providing
internal and external transport plans, placements suggestion, and
production sequences (Linden, 2009).
The important aspect of control is communication which
is critical to the success of construction management project
teams; better communication leading to more positive outcomes
by using some communication skills (Done, 2004). The meetings
bring people together on a weekly basis so as to share important
information, allow discussions, resolve problems, review progress
and make on-the-spot collective decisions.
Construction management is therefore, justified as means
of avoiding the ills inherent in building development, the entire
construction industry and production sectors of the economy and
for which reasons most projects fail, collapse or are abandoned.
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The project managers (PM) role arises from the need for a
technical expert to take charge, control of events on the project
implementation process, someone who understands the
coordinating, controlling, and directing the efforts and activities
of the professional team and the physical problems of
implementation process with the needs in the decision-making
process
The successes of any project implementation process in
the construction management of all sectors depend largely on the
project manager’s concept: the strict monitoring of time, cost,
material, quality and environmental constraints.

Figure 3: Current Practice - Construction drawing is excluded

from Interior Design drawing.

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Figure 3 is the chart of the works done as current practice which

are the works to be finalized before ID scope of work and ID
construction management could start the works. There are a lot of
matters to be considered involving time and cost to the client or
owner of the project.
The view of the change must be controlled by change
order which contains a brief explanation of the nature and
whether it is initiated by the contractor or the owner and its
relation with scope of project (Levy, 2010). It is important the
process of quality control primarily deals with issues relating to
the requirement conformances to the plans and specs by using
quality tools to ensure consistency in quality (Jackson, 2010).

Figure 4: Proposal Practice - Coordination drawing with coordinated

drawing for construction

According to Cleland (1975) a project is termed successful

if it passes four success test criteria i.e. the time criterion –
completed on time; the cost or money criterion – completed
within budget; the effectiveness criterion – completed in
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Ismail Jasmani

accordance with the original set performance and quality

standards; and client’s satisfaction criterion – accepted by the
intended users or clients whether the client is internal or from
outside the organization.

Construction Management with Consultant’s Responsibility

Lackman (1987) has discussed the different tools available to a
project manager to achieve success. These include work
breakdown structures, client information sheets and project plans,
among others. The early development of strategies, philosophies
and methodologies of project implementation has been stressed
(Kumar, 1989) as the most important factor in achieving success.

Figure 5: Phases Status of drawings of consultants before Interior

Design took place

Kumar (1989) suggested that by gathering sufficient

information and being aware of project considerations
methodologies which are specific to a certain situation, as such

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well-defined strategies will assist in providing a satisfying and

successful implementation of a project.
The concentration on techniques may be considered as the 'hard'
issues in construction management. They are the easily measured
and the concepts of time and cost. Other writers have incorporated
what might loosely be called people skills alongside these more
administrative functions. These people skills are 'soft' issues in
management. For example; Randolph and Posner N, Posner,
(1987) and Jaafari (1990), stressed personal, technical and
organisational skills as being necessary to help control projects
and achieve successful results.
This would suggest that the focus for success in both
spheres should lie with the project management team and would
tend to exclude the client from any role in project success,
contradicting the earlier assertion that the early decision making
on a project dictates success. The client is responsible for these
decisions and therefore has an important role in determining
success. The completion of a project requires from a variety of
groups including the project team and the end user. Each party
has a role in defining and determining success. They all have
specific tasks and responsibilities that they must fulfil in order to
achieve success (Kumar, 1989). The client/end user is expected to
be the main party concerned about the success of the project. The
project team will shape the implementation of the project. It is
important for the team to employ the correct management
techniques to ensure that planning, controlling and
communication systems are all in place.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Interior Contractor Successfu
Archite Interio design to produce Contractor l project
ct, r will start the final will use if
M&E, Desig after all drawing for coordination incorporat
C&S to n drawings review by drawing ed with
build come have been the Status ‘A’ as a interior
the on freeze in consultants single design
building board the design and gave drawing for scheme in
with process status A references early Less
client only for along with stage renovation
requir constructio consultants work if
ement n. needed by
To be finalized and approved by the client the
and endorsed by the consultants respectively client/end
with status ‘A’ before construction began. user
DESIGN DESIG INTERIO COORDINAT IMPLEMENTAT HANDO MAINTENA
PROCE N ION ION NCE
R VER
SS FREEZ REVIEW CONSTRUCTIO
ED DESIGN N
(ID)
Early works ID on board Review Construction

Figure 6: Scope of works of construction management in a project

Without these systems, the co-ordination and control of all

groups and resources within the team is difficult. The orientation
of the project team will be towards the task rather than the people.
This will be particularly true as deadlines for achieving work are
stressful and become paramount in people's thinking. The scope
of interest here will be the completion of work and delivery of the
project. The diagram in Figure 4, illustrated how each of the
parties previously identified, interact with the project during this
lifecycle. It also highlights the role of a new group - that of third
parties.
There are various third parties who could influence the
development and use of a project. These include: statutory
authorities, both local and national; the media; environmental
groups and the general public.

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CONCLUSION
This paper has highlighted the Interior Design (ID) construction
management process between consultants and contractor process,
and also the confusion that can arise from the common use of
these terms. It has also attempted to highlight how the objectives
of a project and the construction management are different and
how the emphasis of achieving specific and short-term targets
compared to the wider aims of a project. The conclusion is that to
make the interior design construction management team totally
responsible for success would appear to be unappropriated and
that the client should take an increased interest in the
development and use of the project. The approved ID drawings
shall be considered and finalized, with the drawing for other
consultants being coordinated and produce construction drawing
to combine as a single construction drawing and construction
management for reference by all consultants and the contractor.
Finally, one must always bear in mind that successful
construction management techniques will contribute to the
successful achievement of projects, but construction management
will not stop a project from failing to succeed. The right project
will succeed almost without the success of construction
management.

REFERENCES

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Done, R.S. (2004). “Improving Construction Communication:
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Jaafari, A. (1990). 'What every top manager should know about
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management' Proceedings of the l0th INTERNET World
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Jackson, B.J. (2010). “Construction Management JumpStart”, 2nd
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 Interior Design And Construction Project Management: Performance and Productivity In
Malaysian Building Industry
Ismail Jasmani

Kumar, D. (1989). 'Developing strategies and philosophies early

for successful project implementation' Project Management
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